


What happened to Fives?

by Longlivetheclones



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 02:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15595869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Longlivetheclones/pseuds/Longlivetheclones
Summary: After the Bad Batch arc, Echo is recovering and asks Rex: "What happened to Fives?"  A missing piece of dialogue.





	What happened to Fives?

**Author's Note:**

> Loved "The Bad Batch" arc, although it was missing a scene where Echo asked the obvious question: "What happened to Fives?"

“How are you feeling Echo?”

Echo looked up as Rex came in. He scrunched his face up, considering his answer thoughtfully before answering, and then held up his cybernetic left arm.

Rex tried not to stare at the data port which stood in place of an arm. Getting angry wasn’t going to help Echo. It was a fekkin’ miracle they got him back.

“Looks like all of this is staying,” Echo said. He flexed his cybernetic legs and sighed. “It’s an adjustment. But, I suppose I can get used to it.” He scrunched up his face in a way that was so painfully familiar and so typically Echo that it hurt. “That’s not why you came, is it?”

Rex looked away. “No, it’s not.”

“No one has mentioned him since I’ve returned,” Echo shook his head and then his voice grew more demanding. “Why?”

Rex blew out a long breath, trying to decide how to sum it all up. He was still trying to process what had happened.

Echo persisted. “What happened to Fives?” He said every word slowly and succinctly.

“Fives is dead," Rex blurted it out. _Gah. Fek it all.  I could have handled that better._   The words hung heavily in the room.

There was a long pause before Echo spoke again.  “I knew he was dead,” the rescued trooper said softly, “even before you told me. I could feel it.” He stared ahead, his eyes glassy and unseeing. “And, I could sense it was… bad. But, I need to know everything that happened.”

Rex sucked in a deep breath, trying to figure out where to begin when he didn't understand it all himself.  "He died trying to save us, Echo.  All of us."

Echo digested this piece of information and then snorted. "Typical."

The irony was not lost on Rex that they'd 'lost' Echo when he pulled the same damn stunt.

"There's more, though," Echo persisted, "something you're not telling me."  

The 501st Captain hesitated again.  It was not like him to hesitate at anything.  Battles were his forte, but he sucked shebs at dealing with difficult emotions.

" _Rex_ ," it was not a plea.  More of a demand that came from vode who'd been through everything together, and not come out the same on the other side.  

"Fek it," something cracked in Rex, and words came tumbling out of him. He told Echo everything.  He'd wanted to put the whole thing into context for Echo.  He'd wanted to shield his brothers from all he knew.  But, he knew too much and he couldn't keep this from his closest vode.  He reached the end of the story and found his fingers were compulsively rubbing the scar on his forehead.

“And, the Chancellor ordered every clone vaccinated?” Echo repeated.

Rex nodded.

"How many of you have..." he pointed to Rex's scar where Kix had extracted his chip.  

"The inner circle," Rex said referring to the small circle of clones who'd been with him the longest and the ones he trusted with his life.

Echo nodded thoughtfully.  "Remove mine."

Rex considered his request, but looked with concern about the implants added while Echo was in captivity.  "We don't know enough about what they did to you to safely-"

"Fek safety!" Echo said.  "Fives died to bring us this information.  Remove my chip, or I will."

Rex shook his head, but the smallest hint of a smile was tugging at his lips.  "You sound and act more like Fives since we brought you back."

"I'll take that as high praise, but I'm Echo and always will be.  Now, get this fekkin' chip removed."

"I'll talk to Kix today."

Echo nodded with satisfaction.  There was a short, comfortable silence.  Rex turned to go.

"He'll always live on," Echo said softly.  "We'll ensure his death mattered."  
  
Rex nodded without turning around, but there was a different feeling in the air.  A feeling of hope.  Of life.  
  
"For Fives," he muttered softly, but his soft words carried the weight of a battle cry.

# # #

**Author's Note:**

> Did other folks notice the scars on the clones' heads as they walked out during the "Bad Batch" episode? Made me wonder just how many clones other than Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor have removed their chips. Would be a great legacy to Fives if more clones had removed their chips, and easy to hide if clones grew out their hair. It was a very 'Filoni' move to show us that the clones had removed their chips by showing the scars in that scene. It was visible even with the rough animation.


End file.
